


Of Loosening Knots and Tightening Ties

by NicePumpkinSpice



Series: Of Sweet Memories and Guarded Moments [39]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-26
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-19 18:38:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3620193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicePumpkinSpice/pseuds/NicePumpkinSpice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Evelyn helps Cullen through withdrawal brought on by red lyrium exposure.  Later Cullen and Evelyn pull a prank on their friends with unexpected consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Loosening Knots and Tightening Ties

Cullen awoke from a fitful night’s rest with an excruciating headache, joint pain, and an undeniable craving for lyrium. He hadn’t felt so terrible in months. Sensing a small hand flutter over his forehead, he tried to focus his eyes on the person leaning over his cot.

“Rough night? I couldn’t wake you when the nightmares came. Are you in pain?” Evelyn asked keeping her voice quiet.

Cullen tried to sit up but couldn’t. Collapsing back down on the cot, he answered, “It’s as bad as it has ever been. Luckily I can’t move, or I’d be breaking into the lyrium stores right now.” He added with a disgusted laugh.

Evelyn sat beside him. “I was worried that something like this might happen after being around so much red lyrium. I didn’t realize it would be this bad, or I would have ordered you out.”

“Ev, about that...” Cullen began.

“Hush, no words now. You are hurting too badly. I can’t heal the withdrawal, but I could help with the symptoms if you’ll let me.”

“Please.”

Evelyn placed his head in her lap and began to hover her hands over his face and scalp. Finding the worst of the pain, she called for spirits to help her relax the muscles and spasming blood vessels in Cullen’s head. She rubbed his temples in slow circles - alternating the pressure and temperature of her fingers. Finishing with his temples, Evelyn moved to the bridge of his nose. When her fingers massaged the area near his right eye that felt as if it had a spike shoved into it, Cullen moaned at the relief her magic and touch provided. His head was still aching, but it was no longer an all-consuming throb.

As his headache improved, Cullen became more aware of the pain in the rest of his body. Evelyn sensed this, too. She tugged off his shirt and directed him to roll over onto his stomach. Pulling her robes up high, Evelyn straddled his lower back and began to massage and heal the corded muscles in his neck and shoulders. If he hadn’t been in such agony, Cullen might have found her position and touch erotic. With her skilled hands, Evelyn worked the knots loose and healed the muscle fibers.

She continued for over an hour - rubbing his lower back, arms, and legs with a healing balm while also using her own magic. Cullen began to grow drowsy at her touch as the pain receded. “Turn over.” she directed while lifting herself off him. He complied and then became distracted by the sight of her sitting on top of him with her skirt raised revealing most of her legs. He reached up to bring her down to his lips, but she shook her head. “I’m not finished.”

“I feel much better,” he said while sliding a hand under her robe and cupping her rear.

She let out an exasperated huff and climbed off him. “Then we need to talk.”

Cullen groaned. He knew Evelyn was right, but he was struggling to think straight with the way she looked and felt. “Ev, maybe we could talk later.” he said while sitting up and taking her hand. He kissed her palm while using his other hand to grab her waist and drag her toward him. She nearly gave in when he ran both of his hands up and down her back - something that never failed to make her melt.

Stepping back and sitting in a chair out of his reach, she said, “No. We’ve put this off long enough.” 

“You’re right, of course.” he said with resignation. 

“Neither of us were at our best yesterday. I overextended myself trying to compensate for being the only mage in our party. You were chasing your past and being exposed to enormous amounts of red lyrium. It could have been much worse.” she summarized.

Cullen wasn’t going to let her gloss over the truth. “My behavior was unacceptable. You were sick, and I was yelling at you like you were a sandbagging recruit.” 

“Varric was right, Cullen. The red lyrium was influencing you. It was toying with your emotions as much as it was making me ill. Your yelling hurt my feelings, but I understand its origin. What I’m having trouble accepting is that you advocated leaving me, so you could reach Samson.”

“Ev, I was an ass to suggest that, and I didn’t mean to leave you for good just to press onward with some of the team. I was focused on capturing Samson and manic from being around the red lyrium. Thank the Maker the others had more sense than to pay me any heed. I am sorry for it.”

“Cullen, I forgive you, but I need you to understand why that was so hard for me to hear.” Evelyn concentrated for a moment clearly choosing her words carefully, “In the Fade at Adamant, I had to confront my own anxieties and those of my companions. We found a graveyard with tombstones that had our names and our greatest fear inscribed on them. I had held it together until that point even though we were physically trapped in the Fade and surrounded by demons and spiders.” At the mention of spiders, Evelyn shivered. 

_Only Evelyn would be more scared of spiders than demons._ Cullen thought with a combination of awe and amusement.

“My tombstone had my name and “Abandonment” etched into its face. My parents left me. Kevin left me. Everyone at Haven left me. I can’t take you leaving me, too.” 

Cullen whispered earnestly, “You never need worry that I’ll leave you. My tombstone would have read “Losing Evelyn.” That _is_ my greatest fear. It was even back at Adamant. I love you, and I am yours for as long as you’ll have me.”

“Careful, Commander, I might keep you around for a very, very long time if that is the case.” Evelyn responded with a coy look and playful kiss.

“By all means, please do.” 

***************************

“Well, look who decided to finally leave their love nest.” Dorian poked at Evelyn and Cullen. “We were just about to draw straws to see who would have to go in after you. For a man that spent the better part of the morning holed up with his lover, you look like hell, Commander.”

“Good morning to you, too, Dorian.” Cullen said grouchily.

“Morning? It’s practically noon."

Cullen growled and waved Dorian away. Although he felt better thanks to Evelyn’s healing abilities, he was still experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Exchanging banter with the haughty Tevinter was not on his agenda.

Cassandra watched Cullen closely and followed him as he walked to check on his messages.

“So is everything okay now between you and Curly?” Varric quizzed once Cullen had left.

“Yes.” Evelyn said as she smiled brightly and gave Varric a thumbs up before scrounging around for licorice sticks in her pack.

“Good to hear. You’re down to one set of leathers and armor. As much fun as it would be to see you fight nude, I’d hate to find you burning more gear.” the Iron Bull teased.

“I didn’t burn them because I was upset.” 

“Sure you didn’t, Boss. Just like he didn’t have his guys burn the temple down for the same reason.” Bull commented. 

“They are a pair of pyromaniacs - aren’t they?” Dorian added. “Better hide the matches when they have children. Of course if they’re mages, that won’t help.”

Evelyn rolled her eyes and twisted a licorice stick around her fingers. Cullen returned and sat on the ground next to Evelyn while munching on hard tack bread.

“We were just discussing how your children are likely to be fire bugs. Care to comment?” Dorian needled Cullen.

“No.” Cullen said while he leaned back on his arms. Looking over at Evelyn, he asked, “So, we’re having children now? When did that happen?”

Evelyn shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s Dorian’s fantasy. Ask him.”

“Fantasy! Ha! You two scream ‘domestic bliss.’ I’m surprised you aren’t already engaged.” 

Cullen yawned and looked groggily at Dorian, “How do you know we aren’t?”

Evelyn’s eyes darted over to Cullen who gave her a quick wink. They had both grown weary of the constant ribbing about their relationship. Evelyn decided to play along with Cullen’s ruse.

“That was a secret,” she whispered loudly enough for the others to hear.

“I didn’t admit anything.” he said out of the corner of his mouth.

Evelyn had to look down at the ground quickly when she saw Dorian’s shocked face. It was all she could do not to burst out laughing, Cullen was having the same problem and hid his expression by bowing his head and rubbing his temple as if he had a headache.

“I knew it!” Varric exulted. “Pay up, Bull.”

“I think they’re shitting us.” Bull stated. His eye fixed on the easier read. “So, Cullen, what does your family think about the Inquisitor?”

“My sister Mia is nearly as bad as the lot of you when it comes to pressing for details.” Cullen said without flinching. “She has always been our family’s busybody, so I expected that. Now even my mother and other sister Sarah are after me to bring Evelyn to South Reach. The war is providing a good excuse to avoid that for now, but I doubt even that will keep them at bay much longer. Mia has threatened to make the journey to Skyhold if I don’t comply by Wintersend.”

Evelyn knew he was telling the truth about his family’s reaction to her even though they were pulling their friends’ legs about planning marriage. Cullen was as bad at bluffing as he was at flirting, and he showed none of his tells when relating his story. Evelyn wondered why he’d never mentioned the invitation to visit South Reach to her.

Varric had the same question, “Not keen on parading her in front of the family, Curly? Why is that?”

Cullen smiled and shook his head, “My mother and sisters are good women, but they can be a bit much especially when they are all together. I’m afraid they might scare Evelyn off.”

“They don’t have an issue with her being a mage?” Dorian questioned.

“Well, they were surprised at first given my previous career, but they’re glad I’ve found someone. I think they’d pretty much given up hope that I would.” 

Iron Bull was watching Cullen and Evelyn closely. He had felt sure that they were lying about the engagement, but Cullen was definitely being honest about his family. He decided to try to ferret out the truth with a different line of questioning. “So Cullen, how exactly did you propose?”

“I never said I did, Bull.” Cullen replied evenly. 

Evelyn felt emboldened. “He didn’t propose. I asked him,” she lied flawlessly.

“Really? How’d that happen?” Bull asked convinced that he would catch their deceit.

Evelyn paused and then looked directly at Cullen. “Well, I told him that I loved him and that even if it might not be possible for us to officially marry that I knew I wanted to be with him for the rest of our lives.” Evelyn’s gaze never left Cullen’s golden brown eyes as she spoke. “And then I asked him if he felt the same way and he said...” 

“Absolutely.” Cullen finished her sentence his eyes brimming with love while taking her hand.

Cullen squeezed her hand and gave her the same shy smile he wore after their first kiss before turning to Bull and saying, “And there you have it - how we decided to get married.”

**Author's Note:**

> This one was hard to write. I didn't want too much drama in the first part or too much fluff in the second. I hope I struck a balance.


End file.
